Multiplex-power flying-machine.



WITNESSES G. V. JOHNSON.

MULTIPLEX POWER FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11,1911.

Patented July 30, 1912.

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INVENTOR CarZ rJaiz/mmn/ A TTORIIEYS 0. v. JOHNSON.

MULTIPLEX POWER FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11,1911. 1,034,242. 1 Patented July 30,1912.

3 SHEETSSHBET 2.

WALMJQ,

ATTORNEYS G. V. JOHNSON. MULTIPLEX POWER FLYING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION rum) nu 11,1911.

1,034,242. Patented July 30, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

2A? -||v|r f -g|| u IlIIIIIlIl Illllllllllli 9 72 5/11/1111; I F l WITNESSES INVENTOR M Z C607? 1 my) 4 momvzrs CARL V. JOHNSON, OF GOLDFIELD, NEVADA.

MULTIPLE-POWER FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters fatcnt. I Patented July 30, 1912.

Application filed May 11, 1911. Serial No. 626,423.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL V. JoHNsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Goldfield, in the county of Esmeralda and State of Nevada, have invented a new and Improved Multiplex-Power Flying-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a new and improved flying machine, and more particularly'to the means for propelling the same through the air.

One reat danger in the flying machines of' the eavier-than-air or aeroplane type, which depend upon their speed for their support in the air, is due to the fact that the motive means sometimes gives out, and the machine must of necessity fall to the ground.

This is dangerous. if not disastrous, and requires great skill in the manipulation to I utilize the velocity of the daWnward fall in obtaining gliding action so that the flying machine may come to the earth lightly.

It is therefore, an object of this invention to obviate the necessity of any great skill on the part of the aviator in case a" motive? means should give out, by providing a plurality of motors adapted to drive one or more propellers, so that if perchance one should become disabled, the other or others will automatically take-up the work, keeping up the speed of the aeroplane and thus removing any chance for disastrous results on this account.

A further object of this invention is to provide a multi 1ev power system for the propelling mechamsm of an aeroplane,- which will be simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, strong, durable, and automatic in its action.

These and further objects,together with the construction and comblnation of the parts, will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanya ing drawings forming a part of'thls specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corres nding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view showing my invention as adapted to a single 1 propeller; Fig. 2 is a rear view in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section showing my invention adapted to a plurality of propellers; Fig. 1 is a detail horizontal section of the automatic clutchin mechanism for clutching. either or bot of the driving shafts to the propeller; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of one of the clutching members Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showingthe action-of the clutching members; and Fig. 7 is another detail view 5, respectively, which have secured thereon gears 6 and 7, meshing respectively with gears 8 and 9. The gear 9 is secured to a shaft 10, which extends through a tubular shaft 11011 which the gear 8 is secured.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 10, there is I provided a propeller 12, which may be of any suitable character and material, and is adapted to be clutched to either 'or bothof the shafts 10 and 11. While the clutching mechanism for accomplishing this purpose may be manually controlled, it is preferred to have it controlled automatically. In this instance, I have shown each side of the. propeller hubprovided with clutching members 1 13 and 13, more clearly shown m Fig, 5,

which may be in the form of a face ratchet, having steps or teeth 14, terminating abruptly sit-15 on one side and sloping gradually down to'the next adjacent step or' tooth on the other side.

Secured to the shaft 10, and 'cooperating with the clutching member 13, there is. provided a' clutching member 16, a counterpart of which is provided on the sleeve shaft 11, and indicated at 17, which cooperates with the clutching member 13'. 'These clutching members 16 and 17 may be of. any suitable character, but are preferably automatic, in their action, and in this instance are shown in the nature of disks connected to their respective. shafts and provided with one or. more pivotally-mounted pawls 18, which are normally held out of contact with the respective ratchet or step disks by springs 19. The pawls 18, however, are adapted to be "thrown into engagement with their respective ratchet clutch disks by means of pivotally-mounted levers 20, which are weighted at 21, so as to automatically swing out under centrifugal force. It will thus be seen that when either of the shafts 10 or 11 are rotated, the centrifugal force will send the levers 20 out to a radiating position, whereby they will force the clutching pawls 18 into engagement with the clutching ratchet disks l3 and 13, thus securing the propeller in driving relation with either or both of the shafts. If one of the shafts is stationary, or goes slower than the other shaft, its pawl or pawls will merely slip over the face of the ratchet clutch disk, and will not interfere with the driving of the other shaft.

In Fig. 3, in place of putting the ratchet clutch disks 13 and 13 on the hub of a single propeller, they are placed on the faces of a double gear 22, whereby, in place of a single propeller, a plurality of. propellers may be driven by either or both of the motors. In this instance, the double gear 22 is shown in the form of two sprockets secured rigidly together so as to drive in unison, connected by sprocket chains 23 to sprockets 2-1 and 25 on propeller shafts 26 and 27, which are rotatably mounted in any well known manner on the frame. of the aeroplane: One of these sprocket chains may be straight-drive and the other crossdrive, so as to rotate the propellers in opposite directions, in order to compensate for each other and eliminate any eccentric twisting effect. The propeller shafts 26 and 27 are provided with propellers 28 and 29, which may be oppositely-pitched to correspond to the difference in direction of drive.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a simple and eflicient flying machine, in which one or more propellers can be driven by one or all of a plurality of motors, and that said propeller or propellers will be automatically clutched in driving relation with the motors, irrespective of whether one or all are driving, by an automatic centrifugal control, which will not require the attention of the operator.

While I have shown two embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details thereof, but desire to be protected in various changes, alterations and modifications which may-come within the. scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with a flying machine, of a pro eller for'said flying machine, a plurality o motors for driving said propeller, concentrically-disposed shafts, driving connections between each of said shafts and one of each of said motors, a pawl-andratchet connection between each of said.

shafts and said propeller, and centrifugally operated means for controlling said pawland-ratchet connection.

2. The combination with a flying machine, of a propeller for said flying machine, a plurality of motors on said flying machine, a plurality of ccncentrically-arranged shafts, connections between said motors and said shafts, whereby each of said motors will drive one of said shafts, a plurality of ratchet clutch disks connected operatively to said propeller, and a centrifugally-operated pawl connected to each of said shafts and adapted to be brought automatically in driving relation with each of said ratchet disks.

' 3. The combination with a flying machine, of a propeller, a plurality of motors, and mechanism for controlling the driving of said propeller from said motors, including a plurality of separately driving pawlcarrying members, pawls carried by said members, a pawl engaging member cooperating with each of said pawl carrying members and having connection with the propeller, and centrifugally operated arms engaging the pawls to move the same into engagement with the last named member,

scribed, the combination of a shaft, a pair of oppositely disposed ratchet faces rotata' bly mounted on said shaft, a pawl carrying member disposed upon one side of said ratchet faces and. secured to said shaft, a sleeve rotatable on the shaft at the opposite side of the ratchet faces, a pawl carrying member secured upon said sleeve, pawls pivotally mounted in said members for rocking movement to engage with and disengage from the respective sides of said ratchet faces, centrifugally movable arms pivoted 011 said carrying members and having portions engaging the pawls to move and hold the same in engagement with the said ratchet faces, a pair of motors, driving connections between one of said motors and said shaft, and similar driving connections between the other motor and said sleeve.

6. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a pair of propcllers, shafts on which said propellers are mounted, a main driving shaft, members rigidly connected and rotatably mounted upon said main shaft, each of said members having an outer ratchet face and connected to one of said propeller-shafts in driving relation, disks disposed upon opposite sides of said members, one of said disks being secured to said main shaft and the other of said disks being sleeved upon the shaft,

pawls mounted in each of said disks and having rocking movement to engage with and disengage from the respective faces of said members, centrifugally movable arms pivoted on said disks and having portions engaging said paWls to move and hold the same in engagement with the said ratchet faces, a pair of motors, driving connections between one of said motors and said'main shaft, and similar driving connections bet-Weken the other motor and the said sleeved dis In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL V. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

WVALLAoE MACGREGOR, J. E, FAUBERT. 

